Belgian side Knack Roeselare claimed a dramatic first victory in the CEV Champions League this season, edging past Halkbank Ankara 3–2 on the road after a tense tie-break in Ankara.
Playing at the TVF Ziraat Bankkart Volleyball Hall, the visitors showed composure and resilience to seal the win with set scores of 25–18, 21–25, 24–26, 25–15, 15–12, following a match that lasted just over two hours.
Roeselare set the tone early, controlling the opening set to take a deserved 1–0 lead. Halkbank responded in the second set, leaning on their experience and power at the net to level the match.
The third set turned into a gripping battle. Although Roeselare fought back from a deficit, Halkbank narrowly closed it out at 26–24 to move ahead 2–1. The Belgian powerhouse refused to fade, however, dominating the fourth set from start to finish to force a deciding tie-break.
In the final set, Roeselare held their nerve in the crucial moments. Strong serve pressure and solid defense proved decisive as they pulled away late to secure the 15–12 win and a memorable away victory.
Basil Dermaux led Roeselare and finished as the match’s top scorer with 39 points, while Tsvetan Sokolov paced Halkbank with a team-high 24 points.
Around 1,500 home fans filled the stands, while a small but vocal group of traveling Roeselare supporters celebrated the club’s breakthrough Champions League success this season.
Match Result:
Halkbank Ankara 2–3 Knack Roeselare
Sets: 18–25, 25–21, 26–24, 15–25, 12–15
Duration: 130 minutes